Two
levels of meaning Scenes under the
5th and 6th trumpet calls are interpreted in two quite different ways.
One describes a range of history and one, the end time. In fact, many Bible
scholars have seen all the trumpet calls as historic. We will not discuss
the earlier trumpets in this respect because the idea seems to lack merit.In
studying the opening of the seals, we found a layered pattern of meaning
similar to what we will discuss here,
re06a.
There the white horse represented the early pure church and the red horse
the early apostate church which opposed it. We concluded that these two
horses, at another level, represented the righteous and the wicked who
will be dead when Christ returns and who will be judged first. The other
two horses would then be the end-time true and false churches — the people
in judgment who will be living near the end of time.This
commentary holds that the trumpet calls are messages against the series
of apostasies of NT (New Testament) times; and that the fifth describes
the brief end-time persecution of the remnant while the sixth describes
the punishment of the end-time wicked. We do not rule out possible overlaps
among the trumpet messages.To
see the basic structure and purpose of the trumpet calls, I have prepared
a table, re08-T. Next
we will broaden our focus on the fifth trumpet.

.Re
9:1 ¶ And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven
unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

Star
fall Lucifer was cast out of heaven re1208.
See note a for this verse. It seems strange that
he would have been given the key to the bottomless pit. Note
b explains.

.2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit,
as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Opened
the bottomless pit ... smoke Satan will eventually be destroyed
ez2819.
God allows him to reveal his true character so the universe will have no
doubt about the divine justice. See the note for
this verse below.

.3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was
given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Locusts
A fit symbol for devastation in the Middle East. See note
a for this verse (on the next page).Scorpions
Why this characteristic? See
note b.

4 And it was commanded them
that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing,
neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in
their foreheads.

Not
hurt the grass Why kind of locusts would obey that command? See
the note.Only
[those without] the seal The final remnant are sealed in preparation
of the blowing of the winds. Their final appeal to others will have been
made and their faithfulness to God will be unshakable — sealed. re07.

.5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they
should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of
a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

Not
kill [unsealed ones] but torment So the locusts have an assignment.
Why five months? I understand the five months to be a symbol, not
literal or prophetic time. See the notes.

.6
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall
desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

Seek
death The situation, in different symbols, of those who called for
rocks and mountains to fall on them. re0617.
See the explanation.

9:1aThe fifth angel
– the fallen star "And the
fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth:
and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened
the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke
of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of
the smoke of the pit." (Rev. 9:1, 2)
To get the larger picture you might want to read through the whole chapter. Next we begin to examine
the events of the fifth trumpet angel. As we begin to understand the first
woe which the fifth angel brings, we will point out principal meanings
from the text. Then we will describe the events which may be seen to have
foreshadowed them — another level of symbolism. Let's look at the text
above to see what comes to mind as we think about the fallen star. (The
translation of our passage should read "fallen" rather than "fall." The
star is not seen falling here but as having fallen.) Jesus told the seventy disciples
that he saw Satan fall. lu1018. And Isaiah wrote about him.
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [later called "Satan"], son
of the morning [or "morning star"]! how art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of
God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of
the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of
the pit." (Isa.
14:12-15). Satan was one of the stars
or angels in heaven. He wanted to be above the others, so he was cast out
and fell as we see in Revelation 12. Did you notice where He was brought
down to? "the pit." By the way, "hell" here is from the Hebrew word sheol
which generally means inside the earth. It is translated "grave" in the
verse before our quotation (Isa. 14:11). See r14p.
The idea of its being a place of burning torment in the center of the earth
comes from Greek philosophers, not from the Bible, lu9b-purg.

9:1bHe was given
the key "And the fifth
angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to
him was given the key of the bottomless pit." (Rev. 9:1).

Because Satan was given
the key, we may understand that he did not naturally have it. And in comparing
with Rev. 20:1 re2001, we see
that he will lose it. What would it mean for Satan to have the key? The story of Job shows that
he Satan had certain privileges in the court of heaven as a representative
of this world. "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself
before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou?
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth,
and from walking up and down in it. . . ." (Job 2:1ff).
re20. Of course the experience
of Job is only an example of the access granted to Satan. The key here
in Revelation 9 would be given at a different time in history, when he
would have access to his whole arsenal of hatred and destruction. "And when the dragon saw
that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought
forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness . . . from the face of the serpent.
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth
helped the woman. . . . And the dragon was wroth [angry] with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments
of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Rev. 12:12-17).

The picture of Satan receiving
a key and opening the pit directs us to ask when this will happen. I believe
it is the time of the passage just quoted — the time at the end of chapter
12, when Satan will be poised for his final attack against the remnant
of the woman's descendants, 1217a.
As we see in our present chapter and elsewhere, Satan goes to make war
to destroy the saints, but without anyone knowing, probation closes and
the saints are preserved. Then trouble begins for the wicked. When Satan's
defiance is fully ripe, Michael stands and the time of trouble begins (6th
trumpet). We see here (5th trumpet) the saints terrorized in anticipation
of the wrath of the dragon. Under the 7th trumpet. God takes charge of
the kingdom. These are the three woes. We will not understand it
all clearly until it happens, but studying ahead will give us a framework.
Our job is to be ready and, now, to help others be ready. We will learn
more looking at the events of the final three trumpet calls. I just wanted
you to see the larger picture so you could examine the puzzle pieces for
yourself as we set them in place.If Satan unlocks
the pit, the four angels must have released the winds In
other words, we see Satan using his key. Isn't God in control of this event?
Let's review the story of the four angels. In response to the question
of being able to stand in the day of the Lamb's wrath re0617,
we see the four angels holding the winds until God's servants are sealed
in their foreheads re0701.
The servants are then safe from the blowing winds. Although Satan is granted
some action, God is ultimately in control and protects the sealed ones.Bottomless pit The Greek in this case, reads
phear
tes abussou, literally, "pit of the abyss" or as in the NIV, "shaft
of the Abyss." I like to think of it as "depths of the abyss." Where does
this imagery come from? "In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." (Gen. 1:1-3). "Deep" here is from the Hebrew,
tehom.
The Septuagint translators repeatedly used the Greek word,
abussos,
for the Hebrew
tehom, confirming the relationship between the two
terms. Deep and bottomless are essentially the same symbol drawn from the
chaotic earth at the time God said "Let there be light" on the first day
of creation ge0102.

9:2Smoking furnace
(still of the time of the fifth angel)

"And
the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth.
. . And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the
pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by reason of the smoke of the pit." (Rev. 9:1, 2)

Why like a furnace? The
furnace smoke directs our thoughts to the classic story of king Nebuchadnezzar's
intention throw three faithful Hebrews into an extremely hot furnace because
they refused to bow to his image. Read the story from da0316ff.
The test of the righteous at the end of time draws its symbolism from this
ancient test of the three Hebrews re1315a.
We will see that the time of the fifth trumpet angel is the time of test
for God's end-time faithful ones. Consider the smoking furnace opened by
Satan as parallel to Nebuchadnezzar's furnace.

Darkness from
the smoke "And
he [the fallen star] opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke
out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air
were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." (Rev. 9:2).

Sun darkened
From other references to darkness
1jo0106,
is6001
we may understand that the darkness from the smoke obscures the light of
God's truth. The celestial light sources were partially darkened under
the fifth trumpet call, re0812a.
Here the darkness is complete for the wicked — those who have refused light
permanently cease to want it. We
recall first the awesome time when God revealed His law from Mount Sinai
ex1916-8.
There smoke and fire ascended from the mountain like smoke from a furnace.
Could Satan's smoke from the pit be a counterfeit of the revelation of
God's law, His great standard of righteousness? I believe it is. In our
verse, Satan has just received the key to the pit, and, smoke rises in
full fury as he demands worship that recognizes his own authority re1407e.

The air The
air, too, is darkened by smoke from the pit. In a literal situation smoke
in the air not only makes it difficult to see (like understanding truth).
It also makes it hard to breathe (to be guided by the Holy Spirit). By
refusing the call of the Spirit, the final wicked will have closed their
own probation
jn0308,
2th0210,
ge0603.

An expansion
discussing the Sun of Righteousness (Christ) Why were these elements darkened
by the smoke? In a physical sense we can understand, but what is the symbolic
significance? The pure woman who is pursued
by the dragon in chapter 12 was clothed with the sun re1201.
It was the "sun of righteousness" mal0402
or "the Lord our righteousness." je3316.
What special way has God given for us to receive that righteousness? "Moreover
also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they
might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them." (Ezek. 20:12).
The yearly ceremonial sabbaths were rest days for God's people in recognition
for His power to make them holy through the coming Messiah. The weekly
sabbath does not point to the coming Messiah but is a more important time
for growing in Christ, for receiving His righteousness. It points, not
to the cross but to Christ's creative power ge0201ff.
We rest because He worked. Our righteousness — our holiness — is not manufactured
by our work. It is His work of re-creation in us ph0213.
This is the truth of righteousness by faith in the Sun of Righteousness
which is nurtured in our Sabbath-rest relationship. We may expect this
principle to be obscured during the chaos of the opened pit preceding the
time of trouble. We may expect Satan to obscure truth and make a counterfeit
of resting in Christ.